For those users who stand to lose more than your family’s respect from a not-so innocent video posted on YouTube, don’t fret, the network has released a face-blurring tool to allow you to keep some sort of anonymity.
YouTube released a face-blurring feature to protect identities. Expect more party videos
The face-blurring feature can be found within YouTube’s Video Enhancements tool, under “Additional Features.” Users must select the “Apply” button below “Blur All Faces.” A preview will be provided to verify that the user is content with the blurring.
However, the feature is not totally fail proof. At its present state, uploaders can’t pick and choose whose faces they’d like to blur and depending on the algorithm, there’s a chance that the blur will appear on every video frame.
As the social media/social networking craze continues to evolve, law enforcement has continued to turn to it as a source to root out suspects.
So, if you decide to post that video of some friends harassing some homeless people, or the one of you doing keg stands at the frat party — after you called in sick from work — you may need to consider it it’s worth it.
YouTube has released a set of guidelines for users who want to upload videos to YouTube, but protect the identities of people captured in the video.
- Assess your risk - Videographers should understand that uploading a video online may result in unintended consequences that could put the uploader and the individuals identified in the video at risk.
- Consider other information which may give away identity – A face is not the only feature that could identify an individual within a video, even if his or her face is blurred. Clothing, the surrounding, voices and name tags can also easily give away someone’s identity.
- Protect yourself when uploading – Local laws may enable authorities to track the mobile device that a YouTuber uploads their video from. This threat is very real as Google has been known to comply with law enforcement in handing over the online activity of suspicious individuals.
